Dipper front



May 1, 1923. v E. E. VANDERHQEF; DIPPER FRONT Filed oct. 29. 1926Patented May 1, 1923.

UNITED STATES ELLISON EDWARD VANDERHOEF, OI? JEROME, ARIZONA, ASSIGNORTO AMERICAN MANGANESE STEEL COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATIONOF MAINE,

, DIPPER FRONT.

Application filed October 29, 1920. Serial No. 420,554.

To aZZ whom z't'may concem:

Be it known that I, ELLI'soN EowAnD VAN- nnnnonr; a citizen of theUnited-States, residin at Jerome, in the'county of Yavapai and tate ofArizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in DipperFronts. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fronts for clippers for excavating, dredging andsimilar machines, and more particularly to fronts for dippers formed ina single piece from cast metal, referably manganese steel.

-An 0 ject of my invention is to provide a single. piece cast metalfront fora dipper having a perfectly smooth interior portion and aplurality of ribs formed integrally therewith extending longitudinallyof the frontand cast on the outside of the front.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a cast metal dipper frontfor dredge buckets and the like having the cutting edge reinforced toincrease the life of the bucket, the reinforcing consisting in extendingthe edge of the bucket beyond the seats for the dipper teeth.

Another object. is to form a cast metal dipper front having the cuttingedge spread or flared outwardly to aid'in d1ggingoperations and to keepthe bucket against the material being dug.

A further object isto provide a cast metal front for clippers theinterior-of which is smooth, and with reinforcing ribs on the outside,with provision of means for additional reinforcement as occasion.demands. A still further object is to -improve the construction of castmetal dipper fronts for successful commercial use.

Generally speaking, I carry out my inven tion by forming a dipper frontof cast metal having a smooth interior, preferably of manganese steel,with the cutting edge flared or spread out at such an angle that willaid in digging. The cutting edge is provided with recesses which serveas seats for ,theldip er points, and I contemplate using reversile'dipper points in connection with the cast metal front embodying thisinvention. The above and other objects of my invention will be apparentfrom the drawings, .wherein Figure .1 is a side elevational viewpartially in section, showing a front constructed in accordance with thepreferred form of the invention; I

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the dipper front, showing .twodipper tooth 5 and, as usual, comprises the front portion withupstanding wings or side portions 5 whichmay be secured by rivets orother fastoning means to the body. In the drawings, I. have provided aplurality of rivet holes 6 for securing the front to the dipper body. Aswill be observedfrom the drawings, the inside of the front of the dipperis smooth, that is, there are no ribs nor shoulders on the dipper toothpoints, nor other projections to catch dirt as the bucket is subjectedto use.

It is possible to discharge completely a bucket having a smooth interiorleaving no refuse whatsoever in the bucket. The dig- 'ging lip of thebucket is spread or flared in order to form a digging or cutting lipwhich will aid in directing the bucket into engagement with the materialbeing dug.- I

have found that if the lip is spread about 10 degrees it will besuflicientfor most purposes.

The edge of the cutting lip of the bucket is provided with a pluralityof recesses 7 in line with the ribs 8 formed on the outside surfaceofthe front wall of thebucket. The

recesses 7 are for the purpose of serving as seats for dipper toothpoints 9, which, in the form shown, are of the reversible type. Theusual construction of reversible tooth points contemplates a web 10joiningthe rearwardly extending jaws of the'points to serve as means forpreventing sidewise play of the points in service. To' accommodate the.webs 10 of the points the ribs fiare recessed at 11 rearwardly oftheseats 7' and' suitable apertures 12 are provided which register withapertures in the jaws of the dipper tooth, so thatrivets 13 or otherfastening means may pass through these apertures for securing thedipperteeth in place.

To receive the jaws 9 of the dipper teeth, the tops and bottoms of theupper ends of the ribs 8 are recessed at 18 to permit the outer surfacesof the jaws to lie flush with the ribs. Shoulders or stops 19 are formed-toabut the rear ends of the jaws 9* to relieve the rivets from diggingstrains.

In order to reinforce certain portions of dipper fronts made inaccordance with this invention, whenever found desirable l have providedmeans for attaching such reinforcements. These means include a pluralityof rivet or bolt holes 14' passing through the ribs 8 of the dipperfront, through which These large buckets are used on very long. boomsand dipper sticks, so that it is diffi- -cult to secure the correctdigging angle without rubbing the heel of the front, causing uneven wearon the outer surface thereof.

WVith a construction such as herein described, it is possible to prolongthe life'of a dipper front for the larger type of dippers and at thesame time dig as efficiently with the present type of bucket. In fact,digging with a bucket equipped with the front of my invention, it ispossible to load and unload buckets faster, as the smooth interiorprevents accumulation of dirt therein and the spread digging lip servesto direct the bucket into the material, rather than to direct it awayfrom the digging,

By extending the'digging lip beyond the seat of the digging point, it ispossible to prolong the life of a bucket over that of the ordinarycharacter, as excessive wear is ex perienced at the edges of the uppercorner of the front and oftentimes these corners become worn, thusweakening the fronts and making necessary the employment of a new front.In dipper fronts wherein the digging edge lies back of the seats for thedipper points, the corners wear much faster, rcsulting in the discardingof dipper fronts much sooner than otherwise would be neces sary. \Vheremanganese steel is used in the manufacture of these fronts, the cost isvery high, so that any means which. makes possible the prolongation ofthe life of a dipper front of manganese steel is important. By myinvention I have found that a dipper front made in accordance therewithoutlasts a dipper front of the ordinary kind many times, consequentlythe benefits to be derived from the use of such a construction arereadily apparent.

While I have described'more or less precisely the details ofconstruction of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limitingmyself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form and the proportion ofparts and substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest orrender expedient, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: i

1. A single piece cast metal front for excavatingdippers having aplurality of lon gitudinally extending ribs formed integrally therewithand-on the outer surface of thefront, said ribs having seats at theupper ends thereof whereby a series of detachable dipper teeth may besecured to the ribs, the cutting edge of the front extending beyond saidseats and being notched whereby said dipper teeth may lie flush with theribs, and means for securing said teeth in place on said seats.

2. A dipper having a cast metal front, said front having a smoothsurface on the inside of said dipper to permit complete discharge ofsaid dipper, the other side of said front being provided withreinforcing ribs, said front having a cutting edge portion, said edgeportion being recessed on the inside surface of said front 'and teethmounted in said recesses in alignment with said rcinforcing ribs. 3. Adipper having a cast metal front, said front having a smooth surface onthe inside of said dipper to permit complete discharge of said dipper,the outside. surface of said front having a plurality of longitudinallyextending ribs, said ribs having recessed seats at the upper endsthereof and 'a series of detachable dipper teeth mounted in said seatsand secured to said ribs, the cutting edge of the front extending beyondsaid seats.

4, A dipper having a cast metal front, said front having a smoothsurface on the inside of said dipper to permit complete discharge ofsaid dipper, the outside surface of said front' having a plurality oflongitudi I nally extending ribs, said ribs having recessed seats at theupper ends thereof, said front on its inside surface being provided withrecesses communicating with said recessed seats, and a series ofdetachable dipper teeth secured to said ribs in said seats and recesses,the. cutting edge of the front extending beyond said seats.

Signed at Jerome, Arizona, this 14th day .of Sept, 1920.

ELLISON EDWARD VANDERHOEF.

